Lamin Khalifah Fhimah
| Lamin Khalifah Fhimah | |
|---|---|
| Native name | الأمين خليفة فحيمة |
| Born |
4 April 1956 Suq el Juma'a, Tripoli, Libya |
| Occupation | Station manager, Libyan Arab Airlines, Luqa Airport, Malta |
| Children | Five |
Lamin Khalifa Fhimah (Arabic: الأمين خليفة فحيمة, al-Amīn Khalīfah Faḥīmah; born 4 April 1956) is a former station manager for Libyan Arab Airlines at Luqa Airport, Malta. On 31 January 2001, he was found not guilty and acquitted of 270 counts of murder in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial by a panel of three Scottish judges sitting in a special court at Camp Zeist, Netherlands,[1] in light of evidence that he was in Sweden at the time of the bombing and therefore could not have been a participant. His co-accused, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, was found guilty by unanimous decision of the court and sentenced to life imprisonment, but later released on compassionate grounds, having always maintained his innocence.
Fhimah was born and lives in Suq el Juma'a, near Tripoli, Libya, with his wife and five children.
Trial
Fhimah was represented by solicitors Eddie McKechnie and Paul Phillips, advocates Richard Keen QC, Jack Davidson QC and Murdo Macleod. Representing Megrahi were his solicitor, Alistair Duff, and advocates William Taylor QC, David Burns QC and John Beckett. Both defendants also had access to Libyan defence lawyer, Mr. Maghour. Court proceedings started on 3 May 2000.
The judges announced their verdict on 31 January 2001. The judges were unanimous in finding the second accused, Lamin Khalifah Fhimah, not guilty of the murder charge.[2] Fhimah was freed and returned to his home at Souk al-Juma in Libya on 1 February 2001.
Greeted Megrahi after release and homecoming
On 20 August 2009, Megrahi, who was terminally ill, was granted a release on compassionate grounds and flew home to Tripoli later that day. Fhimah was one of the first to greet Megrahi at the top of the aircraft steps. Clad in a traditional white boubou and a brown waistcoat, he can be seen grasping Megrahi's right arm in support as he waved a small Libyan flag enthusiastically at the gathered crowd of well-wishers.[3][4]
References
- ↑ Fhimah was found "not guilty" Verdict of the Scottish Court in the Netherlands
- ↑ Fhimah was found "not guilty"
- ↑ Lamin Khalifah Fhimah greets Megrahi at the top of the aircraft steps on YouTube
- ↑ http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/The-familiar-man-who-helped.5578578.jp by Eddie Barnes, The Scotsman, 22 August 2009
External links
- "Case against Fhimah fatally flawed" by Gerard Seenan, The Guardian, 1 February 2001
- Original Court Opinion